The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube
TEAM Zimbabwe is aiming at raking in between 30 and 40 medals during the Africa Union Sports Council Region Five Games Under-20 Youth Games that kick off on Thursday.
Sebastian Garikai, Team Zimbabwe’s chef-de-mission, said they wanted to surpass the previous highest number of medals they have received in the history of the Games but for them to come out tops in the medals table they needed between 30 and 40 medals.
“The highest number of medals we have received is 17, which we won in Swaziland but now that we are home we are aiming at getting more than that. Our preparations have been going on smoothly and today (yesterday) we had several trial runs which included an athletics trial run at Nust grounds which featured athletes in Team Zimbabwe and those from other schools around the country.
“At the Large City Hall there was boxing, where Team Zimbabwe boxers were sparring against each other and the girls’ basketball team also played a match,” he said.
The Games will run from Friday to 14 December with the official opening slated for Thursday.
Garikai said their preparations were up to scratch as they wanted to give the visiting teams a good run for their money.
He said they are hosting a send-off ceremony for the athletes tomorrow evening at the Polytechnic where Team Zimbabwe is based.
Team Zimbabwe will move to the Games Village, which is Hillside Teachers College, on Tuesday.
“Sports, Arts and Culture Minister, Andrew Langa will address the athletes tomorrow during the send-off ceremony and it will be a platform to introduce the young sportspersons to the minister while also giving Langa the opportunity to say a few words to them as they prepare for battle.
“We are going to “war” and the send-off will present the right opportunity to psyche up the players and put them in the right frame of mind as they approach the Games,” said Garikai.
Team Zimbabwe boxing manager, Petros Masiyambumbi said they used yesterday’s trail run as a sparring session for the boxers.
“Our training has progressed smoothly and physically the boxers are fit, we are now working on improving the tactics and skills of the pugilists. We are now scaling down our training as we do not want to tire the boxers before the Games begin,” he said.
